


By Your Side, Always

by ariannadi



Series: Fire Emblem Hell [3]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Character Death, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hoshido | Birthright Route, Love Confessions, Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-08 09:56:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13455828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariannadi/pseuds/ariannadi
Summary: As the war between Nohr and Hoshido comes to a head, Takumi struggles with his feelings for Kamui.





	By Your Side, Always

**Author's Note:**

> Happy late Valentines Day! :)

The doors to the great hall of Castle Krakenburg slammed shut, but the Hoshidan army remained in place.

 _No..._ Takumi, hands shaking, mused with dread. How could Ryouma allow Prince Marx to seal Kamui within, knowing such a confrontation would likely result in her premature demise?

"Brother!" he pleaded in desperation as he rounded on the older man, "You can't just leave her like this!"

"I agree," Hinoka grunted from a few spaces away, crossing her arms. Their older brother remained steadfast, however.

"This is Kamui's battle. If we wish to get to the king, we must go through the crown prince. Kamui has accepted that responsibility."

"She'll be killed!" Takumi argued, his voice rising. Ryouma sent a deadly glare his way, silencing the boy in an instant.

"We will uphold the honor of Hoshido," the elder prince boomed. "So long as their forces remain at bay, then so shall we."

Takumi wanted to fall to his knees at the robotic response. Ryouma had always jumped to Kamui's aid in previous instances, what made this encounter so different?

 _I'm a damned fool,_  he berated himself.  _I should've told her how much she means to me while I still had the chance. How much I..._

The sound of a shrill, almost animalistic scream intercepted his thoughts abruptly, sending a shard of pure _ice_  straight into the pit of the prince's gut.

_Kamui._

Not long after Takumi registered the heart-wrenching noise did an onslaught of Nohrian soldiers arrive, led by a cavalier with multi-colored hair and her mercenary accomplice.

"Fiends! You kill the youngest princess of Nohr and expect us not to retaliate?" the ashen-haired swordsman called to them. "We will not allow you the pleasure of slaying our Lord Marx, as well!"

 _Youngest princess?_ Only then did Takumi notice that the girl was no longer present among the army, and he quickly put two and two together.

Princess Elise had been slain.

And Takumi _knew_ Kamui hadn't been the one responsible.

 _It would seem nothing beats within the chests of these savages_ , the prince lamented, feeling sick. Princess Elise hadn't been among their party for long, but in the short time she had the girl went out of her way to make friends with a number of people - all of whom were visibly affected by the revelation of her death.

And of course, Takumi understood just how much Kamui had adored the bright and cheery girl. 

_That scream. She must be inconsolable. Please let this loss give her the strength to end that monster she once called brother._

”Soldiers, to arms!” Ryouma bellowed in response to the threats of the Nohrian army, and Takumi wasted no time in drawing out his Fujin Yumi.

 

* * *

 

“Marx... Elise...” Kamui sobbed from where she knelt over the bodies of her deceased siblings. 

As soon as the last Nohrian soldier fell, Ryouma guided the army into the grand hall. When his eyes landed on the young woman hunched on the floor, he held up a hand, halting everyone in place.

Takumi, having been in the back of the party, rushed forward, his heart aching at Kamui’s state of being and the pained sounds escaping her lips.

”Takumi!” Ryouma shouted at the boy as he ran and knelt at her side. He knew he'd get an earful later on for disobeying his brother's commands, but he very well didn't care in this moment.

”Kamui, I’m so sorry...” the prince murmured, his hand reaching out and stroking her back soothingly. Kamui took him by surprise when she turned and threw her arms around his neck, her Noble Yato clattering to the floor as she sobbed into his shoulder.

”Oh, Takumi,” she cried, hiccuping each word, “I-I couldn’t save them! I couldn’t s-save them!”

If Takumi hadn’t been preoccupied with the distressed woman in his arms, he would’ve seen the questioning look Hinoka sent Ryouma's way, who just observed the scene before him curiously.

"You did everything you could, Kamui," Takumi uttered to the princess, bringing his arms around her. "Please don't blame yourself for this. Elise... she wouldn't have wanted it."

Kamui continued to cry as Takumi held her, though Ryouma would ultimately cut the interaction short when he slowly approached them both.

"We need to move on," the prince said, ignoring the look of disapproval from his younger brother. "Garon is just one chamber away at this point. Channel your grief into that confrontation, sister."

Kamui nodded weakly and pulled her head away from Takumi's neck, then wiped at her eyes. The prince helped her stand to her feet, ensuring she was steady before he lowered his hands from her waist.

"You're right," she muttered, retrieving the Noble Yato from the ground. She took once last glance toward Marx and Elise, and sighed shakily. "Garon _will_ die by my hand. I won't let their deaths, their sacrifices, be in vain. I will put an end to this senseless war once and for all!"

 

* * *

 

Garon cackled at the Hoshidan army as they entered the throne room with weapons drawn. It appeared that nothing unnerved the madman, not even the deaths of his oldest and youngest children - who had apparently been nothing but "pawns" in his attempts at conquering Hoshido.

"It's obvious that you are beyond saving," Kamui growled at the king as she readied the Noble Yato. "Today, you will be dethroned from your position and eliminated!"

Again, Garon laughed in her face. He took a step toward the princess, holding out his axe that glowed with a sickening aura. Takumi, who was standing at Kamui's side, raised the Fujin Yumi in response with a snarl.

"Oh, is your little pet going to stop me, princess?" the king taunted. "Seems he's just as easy to manipulate as before."

"Shut up, old man!" Kamui barked in response, stepping in front of the prince. "You know nothing of him. Just like you know nothing of anyone but yourself!'

Garon growled, taking another step. "You dare mock me, you stupid girl? I will put you in your place once and for all!" He raised his axe, and took a slash at Kamui, who was barely able to block it with her sword. She moved to slash at the king in response, but to everyone's horror, the Noble Yato didn't even make a dent in his armor.

"W-what?" she squeaked in disbelief.

"See what you're up against, delicate princess?" Garon cackled. "That letter opener of a sword has no power against me!"

"Don't give up hope, Kamui!" Ryouma bellowed from behind her. "It's exactly what he wants!"

Everyone went silent when the Noble Yato began to glow suddenly, the same way it had back in Notre Sagesse when it fused with the power of the Fujin Yumi. Only this time, Raijinto began to glow as well, prompting Ryouma to raise the weapon toward the ceiling in awe.

"The Yato... it's transforming again!" Takumi gasped, watching as the blade took on a more katana-like shape.

"Blazing Yato..." Kamui uttered breathlessly, then smiled once it finished changing forms. "Yes, I'll be able to bring Garon down with this!"

"NO!" the king shouted, moving to take a swing at Kamui before she could react.

"I don't think so!" Takumi snapped, firing an ethereal arrow at Garon's axe and causing him to stumble backward. Realizing he was now very much in danger, the king hastily retreated back to the stairs of his throne.

"Ready your weapons! This battle ends _now!_ " Ryouma ordered aloud, and the rest of the army let out various cries of agreement. Both the high prince and Kamui immediately went after Garon, while everyone else took off to various sides of the throne room to battle the Nohrian reinforcements who had intercepted. Takumi decided to tail behind the former two, knowing he could provide ranged attacks to distract the king whilst they took care of the forefront. After all, the moment Garon fell, the battle would end - sparing everyone who remained.

It didn't take long to bring the mad king to his knees, and once it looked as though he wouldn't recover, Kamui landed the final blow.

"That's... it's over," she practically whimpered, then turned to face the rest of the army, her eyes meeting Takumi’s specifically with a breathtaking smile. "It's over! King Garon is defeated! The war has ended!" Takumi also found himself smiling at the woman's enthusiasm, part of him wishing to march up to her right then and there and embrace her in victory.

But like so many other things, such a proclamation was too good to be true, as Garon suddenly rose from the ground and roared maniacally - throwing both hands in the air. Takumi shielded his eyes as a wave of dark magic shrouded the king's body - leaving a black, willowy beast with a single red eye in his place.

"What in the seven hells?" Ryouma questioned under his breath, raising Raijinto once again. Takumi did the same with Fujin Yumi, a growl passing through his lips as he watched the dragon-like creature inch threateningly toward Kamui. Both he and Ryouma jumped in front of the woman, their divine weapons glowing and aimed right at the beast's face.

"PAH! YOU THINK THOSE PATHETIC WEAPONS CAN STOP ME?" Garon taunted in a piercing, metallic tone. "LOOK UPON ME AND SEE WHAT I TRULY AM. SUCH IS THE POWER OF THE DRAGON BLOOD COURSING THROUGH MY VEINS." And with a single swipe, he sent both Ryouma and Takumi barreling into the floor.

"Takumi!" Kamui wailed, rushing to his side. The prince saw spots of black in his vision from the impact of Garon's attack, but he still managed to offer her a reassuring smile as she helped him up from the ground. Ryouma, meanwhile, shakily got to his knees, leaning on Raijinto for support.

"You haven't won yet, you mad beast," Ryouma spat.

The dragon creature just chuckled menacingly - a vibration that could be felt all throughout the room. "NO, BUT THAT CHANGES NOW." Garon raised his claw once again, intending to finish off the two princes of Hoshido, but to Takumi's surprise the blow never came. It was only when Sakura began sobbing loudly from somewhere behind them that the youngest prince noticed just _who_ had taken the brunt of the attack, and his heart quickly lodged itself in his throat.

"NO!" he screamed, sprinting like mad to a crumpling Kamui and cradling her to his chest just before she could collapse. Ryouma, also rushing to where Takumi knelt with the woman, just stared at her broken form in pure horror with outstretched hands.

"Kamui, why would you do that!?" the crown prince demanded, sounding frantic and unsure for once in his life. "You could have died!" Kamui just smiled up at the older man, before her glossy eyes settled on Takumi's face.

"Heh... I'm just glad... neither of you... were... hurt..." she wheezed in pain, closing her eyes. Takumi began to panic when the princess' body went limp in his arms, and he began shaking her repeatedly to keep her awake.

"Kamui? KAMUI!" he shouted to deaf ears, tears burning in his eyes only to slide relentlessly down his cheeks the longer he jostled her. Garon hovered behind them all the while, his pleased rumbling twisting Takumi's stomach fifteen different ways.

"AN UNEXPECTED OUTCOME, BUT ONE I WILL GLADLY ACCEPT." the creature jeered in victory, and Takumi saw red. 

"SHUT UP!" he screamed at the beast through his tears, shielding Kamui with his entire body. "Kamui, you have to wake up! _Please!_ " he begged, pressing his lips into her hair.

"Takumi, move!" Hinoka barked, saving the prince from a blow to the head. Said sister, as well as Ryouma, quickly launched themselves at Garon to prevent him from harming the rest of the army, leaving Takumi to carry Kamui to safety behind one of the throne room's pillars.

"Kamui, please, you _have_ to wake up!" he pleaded, his chest growing tighter with every sob he expelled. "We need you!  _I_ need you! I-I... I _love_ you! I love you, Kamui! You can't die here, you just can't! _I love you!_ ”

”Takumi, you have to leave her for now! They need _you_ out there!” Sakura cried as she suddenly appeared beside him, her festal at the ready. “I’ll watch over Big Sister and attempt to revive her. But, please, you _must_ go and help!”

The prince wanted to refuse, his grip on the woman in his arms like a vice - but he understood that Sakura actually had the means to bring Kamui back. And so, swallowing thickly, he hesitantly lowered her body to the ground, brushing the matted hair away from her face and trailing his knuckles down her cheek.

“Watch over her,” he told his younger sister, his eyes lingering on Kamui’s ashen face as he retrieved Fujin Yumi from his back. “Please. I can’t...”

”Go, Takumi,” Sakura urged, carefully bringing Kamui’s head into her lap. “I’ll do everything I can, I swear.”

 

* * *

 

The celebration that followed Ryouma’s coronation was seemingly unending, though, Takumi wagered it was only because he wasn’t exactly enjoying it.

Oboro and Hinata had attempted to drag him into the crowd of drunk, dancing bodies as well as stuff his face with the various treats available, but ultimately, the prince chose to remain on the sidelines. After all, this was a festival in Ryouma’s honor - the last thing he wanted to do was make a fool of himself or his family.

Besides, he was preoccupied with watching the woman who made his heart pound as she mingled with nearly every person present; the woman he wanted so badly to take aside and confess his unwavering affections to.

It was only when Takumi noticed Kamui suddenly slipping away from the party that he chose to move from his position, the hunter in him too curious to let his target disappear. He ended up bumping into Ryouma on his way through the forest outside the castle village, who happened to be silently observing Kamui as she stared out toward the lake Aqua would haunt frequently.

Aqua... yet another casualty that could’ve been prevented.

”I knew you’d be coming through here eventually, Little Brother.” Ryouma uttered warmly as Takumi approached. “Though, your reasons for doing so likely aren’t the same as mine.”

Takumi flushed instanteously and stared toward his feet. Ryouma had been present when he’d declared his love for the near-dead Kamui, though he didn’t appear to be unnerved by it. 

“I...” Takumi began, then sighed. “I really do love her, Ryouma. And... I know it’s strange to hear, but none of us are actually connected to her by blood. Queen Mikoto left me a letter before the war started, and...”

Ryouma let out a rumbling chuckle, causing Takumi to raise his head in slight alarm. Just as he was about to question what was so amusing, Ryouma murmured, “I’m quite aware of the situation involving Kamui’s heritage. I’ve known far longer than anyone, actually. If you’re worried about me being ashamed or upset with you, then worry no longer. I know you two will make each other happy.”

Takumi didn’t know how to respond, as all semblance of thought seemed to disappear with Ryouma’s words.

”B-brother...” he stuttered hoarsely, feeling a warm wetness rising in his eyes. Ryouma came up in front of him then, resting a firm hand on his shoulder with a rare smile.

”I’m _proud_ of you, Takumi,” he said, his voice unwavering. “I know you’ve struggled in the past with that fact, but now more than ever it remains true. Now, stop being so stubborn and go claim your fate.”

The king shifted behind him, offering a gentle shove which sent Takumi stumbling forward. The prince glanced over his shoulder at his brother, then quickly rolled his shoulders - taking a deep breath before proceeding to where Kamui stood.

”Takumi,” she said in slight surprise, turning to face him with a smile. “I was just talking with Aqua... I can still feel her presence here.”

The prince’s eyes wandered around the area, he himself detecting something akin to _serenity_  settling over both he and Kamui.

”Seems she’s content to watch over us, just like she always did,” he said, breathing in the damp air. He nearly choked outright when the woman at his side moved closer to him, her hand settling on his arm.

”Shouldn’t you be at the festival?” she asked in slight concern. "I was just taking a breather, but I was going to be back momentarily."

Takumi swallowed, his cheeks all at once feeling like a furnace. "I-I... I mean, I saw you come out here and..." he took a shaky breath. "Kamui... I _really_ need to tell you something. I've put it off for far too long, now."

Kamui rose a brow at his nervous behavior. "Takumi?" she inquired. Mustering up his courage, the prince took the woman's petite hands in his own, his thumbs running over her knuckles affectionately as he carefully met her eyes.

"Kamui, I know I treated you terribly when we first met, but believe me when I say I wish I could take back every instance I was ever surly to you. You've done wonders for Hoshido, for our family, for...for me. I..." he sighed. "I don't even deserve to be standing here with you like this, but I know I'll forever regret it if I don't tell you how I feel. You almost died confronting Garon, and I..."

"Takumi..." Kamui breathed, stepping closer. At this point Takumi refused to meet her eyes, and his heart sunk when she gently pulled her hands away from his grasp. He was just about to apologize for making her uncomfortable when he felt the warmth of her palms cupping his cheeks, urging him to look her way once again. "Takumi," she repeated with a gentle expression, "I heard you calling out to me when I was on the verge of darkness. I heard you say that you loved me. Does this mean I wasn't imagining it?"

The prince slowly processed her words, and nodded once as one of his hands moved to cover her own. “Yes,” he breathed, steeling himself. “Everything I said to you that day was the truth. I-I... I can’t go on pretending to be your brother, not when I feel this way about you. I love you, Kamui. I love you more than anything.”

Kamui smiled endearingly at him, her cheeks going pink as she tilted her head slightly. 

“Normally I’d be questioning this whole situation on the account of us being siblings, but, Ryouma disclosed everything to me the day we returned from Nohr.”

Takumi opened his mouth to respond, but found himself being caught off-guard. ”W-what?” he asked, blinking a few times. Kamui just laughed as her head fell into his shoulder, nuzzling at the material a few times.

”Ryouma told me all about King Sumeragi and my mother, specifically that I’m not his child. I was... alarmed, of course, but, I quickly realized that I couldn’t be more grateful for such a revelation.” She raised her head from his shoulder, her crimson eyes glimmering faintly from the warm sunset as she studied his face. "It meant I didn't have to feel ashamed about being in love with you, Takumi."

The prince nearly laughed in disbelief, his eyes beginning to burn once again. "Y-you... Kamui..." His breath hitched as the young woman hooked her arms around his neck, then slowly rose on her toes and planted a soft, sweet kiss to his lips. It took a moment for his body to catch up to his brain, but once it did, he wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her frame, returning the kiss eagerly.

"My Kumi..." Kamui murmured sweetly when they eventually parted, resting her head against his chest - right over his heart, with a sigh. Takumi pressed his lips to the crown of her head, and smiled against the silvery locks when he heard her giggle happily in response.

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another thing that wouldn’t leave me alone *shrug* note that this is partially unbetaed, so don’t be surprised if some things change or are added in the future xD
> 
> **Kudos comments and the like are always appreciated greatly!**


End file.
